It's November - the excitement of leaves falling and colors changing brings about a hint of nostalgia and coziness most seasons can compare to. However, with November also comes the dread of midterms, long-term projects suddenly becoming due, figuring out where exactly you're spending Thanksgiving, the impending doom of bills still being due, and much more.
During times like this, we tend to forget how to take care of ourselves. So here is a friendly reminder to do something you enjoy. If you're not quite sure where to start, check out these relaxing recommendations.
Bath Time
This is a classic, but a goody. Get some water going, add a bath bomb (or two), some Epsom salt, light some candles, do the whole nine yards. This is your time. Top it off with your favorite music.
Take a Nap
This has been my go-to quick fix for a few weeks now. Turn off your phone. Wrap yourself in some blankets (or none at all). Suit up with your favorite sweats and just let your bed be your best friend for a little bit.
Cook
Give yourself the nourishment and supplement to be successful. Often in our young adult years, we stick to the cliché pasta and pizza combo. Take a little bit more time and cook something you actually enjoy or something you’ve been wanting to try.
Go get coffee or tea
A lot of people take work to the coffee shop – be different than them. Go to get a cup of joe and sit there – bring a book if you’re the antsy type, but the more you practice doing absolutely nothing, the better you will get at it. Hence an easier time stepping away from the things bogging you down.
Yoga
You don’t need a fancy membership to get something out of a good yoga session. An app, Down Dog, provides an excellent journey for yogis of all levels to get your flow going. The free version is honestly all you’ll need if you’re a novice or even intermediate yogi. Plus, the soundtrack is spot on.
Reserve One Day for Nothing or Something
Literally nothing. Try the best you can to have one day where you don’t do anything related to work or school. Mine are Saturdays. You can either do nothing and just binge watch The Office or do something like attending a concert or museum expo. Either way, enjoy yourself.
Volunteer
Sometimes doing something selflessly and without any real commitment is great nourishment for the soul. Pick something you care about and do what you can to promote community and growth.
Play
This can mean anything to you. The idea is to go out and be a kid again. Play soccer, paint a mural, do that DIY project that’s been bookmarked for months, try improv out, go to a game – anything. Go play.
Purge
Read this carefully so you don’t get the wrong idea! Go in your room, or somewhere in your apartment you feel the most distressed, and start throwing things away. Do you really need that birthday card you got three years ago? Or those millions of club t-shirts?
Go off the Grid
Seriously.We spend way too much time on screen. Take a little while and turn everything off. Unplug yourself from the digital world and bury your way into a book or quality time with friends.
Go for a Walk or Run
There are some really beautiful places to run around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Take advantage of the landscape of fall and let yourself be there with it. Take a walk or go for a run and enjoy the fresh air.
Explore
Maybe there’s something that’s not on this list that satisfies the need you have to relax. Explore these possibilities and the city around you. Things are always happening around here and exploring the possibilities of new adventure or hobbies is really exciting.
Above all, know your limits and be kind to yourself. Remember the golden rule, ‘treat other the way you want to be treated’? Well, the same goes for you. Treat yourself the way you want to be treated.
